USAAF in WW II - 25 February

WEDNESDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1942

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

ZONE OF INTERIOR (HQ USAAF): The Air War Plans Division recommends removal of Operation GYMNAST (early Allied plan for the seizure of Casablanca and the invasion of NW Africa) from the list of current projects. This proposal, if adopted, would leave the 8th Air Force uncommitted to any operation.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS [ETO, US Army Forces in British Isles (USAFBI)]: Major General James E Chaney, Commanding General USAFBI, instructs Brigadier General Ira C Eaker and the staff of the VIII Bomber Command to proceed to HQ, RAF Bomber Command for a study of bombing operations, and to make reconnaissance of certain airfields and submit plans for the receptionand assignment of Army Air Forces units.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Arriving at Brisbane, Australia from the US are:

HQ 3d Bombardment Group (Light) and 8th, 13th, 89th and 90th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) with A-20's; first mission is in Apr.

HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Medium), 2d, 19th and 33d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) and 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) with B-26's; first mission is in Apr.

HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 15th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) and 69th, 70th and 71st Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-26's; first mission is Jun; air echelon of 69th and 70th remain in the US until May/Jun.

39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), with P-39's; first mission is 2 Jun.

THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1943

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:

  A-20, Douglas Havoc

  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress

  B-24, Consolidated Liberator

  B-25, North American Mitchell

  F4U, Vought Corsair

  P-38, Lockheed Lightning

  P-40, Curtiss

  Spitfire, Vickers Supermarine

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force)

In the Aleutians, 4 P-40s sweep Kiska Island.  Six B-24s and 5 B-25s bomb the Main Camp and North Head areas of Kiska.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Tenth Air Force)

In Burma, fighters from Dinjan dive-bomb a bridge 10 miles (16 km) west of Myitkyina.  A single span is knocked out and another damaged.  B-24s again fail to damage the Myitnge Bridge.

In India, more than 40 Japanese aircraft attack Dinjan Airfield; 32 intercepting P-40s claim 14 destroyed and 15 probably destroyed.

The 436th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-24s transfers from Gaya, India to Bishnupur, India.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN (Ninth Air Force)

In Italy, B-24s bomb Naples harbor and Crotone during the night of 24/25 Feb.

In Tunisia, B-25s attack motor transport on the Arram road. The 512th, 513th and 514th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 376th Bombardment  Group (Heavy) with B-24s transfer from Gambut, Libya to Soluch, Libya.

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN (North African Air Force)

In Tunisia, B-17s bomb El Aouina Airfield.  Fighters and A-20s hit troops and military traffic in the Thala-Kasserine-Sbeitla areas and along the Gafsa-Feriana road.  Other fighters carry out widespread reconnaissance and patrol missions.  British First Army and US troops of the II Corps occupy Kasserine Pass.

HQ 31st Fighter Group and its 307th Fighter Squadron with Spitfire Mk Vs transfer from Youks-les-Bains, Algeria to Kalaa Djerda, Tunisia.  The 308th Fighter Squadron also with Spitfire Mk Vs transfers from Canrobert, Algeria to Kalaa Djerda.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force)

In the Solomons, P-38s, P-40s and F4Us sweep the Kahili, Bougainville Island area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)

In the Bismarck Archipelago, heavy bombers continue to attack shipping, airfields, and the town area at Rabaul, New Britain Island.  The airfield on Gasmata Island is also bombed.

In New Guinea, A-20s again bomb and strafe forces at the Guadagasal Saddle

and vicinity.

FRIDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-24s from Shemya Island are over Matsuwa Island shortly after midnight 24/25 Feb on a photographic reconnaissance and bomb run; the mission is not completed due to weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS

 

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 8 B-25s and 4 P-51s attack bridges at Meza, Sinthe, and Natmauk, causing light damage to the bridges and destroying 3 locomotives and several railroad cars.

91st Fighter Squadron, 81st Fighter Group, arrives at Karachi, India from Italy; they will be equipped with P-47Ds and enter combat on 16 Jun.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In French Indochina, 16 P-40s attack docks, railroad yards and warehouses at Hongay; in the harbor 1 large boat is sunk and another damaged; 2 P-40's hit a cargo vessel at Campha Port, leaving it sinking; 2 others bomb and strafe Weichow Island.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 235: In the final "Big Week" mission, 4 targets in Germany are hit; 31 bombers and 3 fighters are lost.

1. 268 B-17s are dispatched to aviation industry targets at Augsburg and the industrial area at Stuttgart; 196 hit Augsburg and targets of opportunity and 50 hit Stuttgart; they claim 8-4-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 13 B-17s are lost and 172 damaged; casualties are 12 WIA and 130 MIA.

2. 267 of 290 B-17s hit aviation industry targets at Regensburg and targets of opportunity; they claim 13-1-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 12 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 82 damaged; casualties are 4 KIA, 12 WIA and 110 MIA.

3. 172 of 196 B-24s hit aviation industry targets at Furth and targets of opportunity; they claim 2-2-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 44 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 61 MIA.   Escort is provided by 73 P-38s, 687 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 139 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; the P-38s claim 1-2-0 Luftwaffe aircraft, 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair; the P-47s claim 13-2-10 Luftwaffe aircraft, 1 P-47 is lost and 6 damaged, 1 pilot is MIA; the P-51s claim 12-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft, 2 P-51s are lost and 1 damaged beyond repair, 2 pilots are MIA.

Mission 236: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 250 bundles of leaflets on Grenoble, Toulouse, Chartres, Caen and Raismes, France at 2129-2335 hours without loss.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Major General Paul L Williams becomes Commanding General IX Troop Carrier Command. 191 B-26s bomb Venlo, Saint-Trond, and Cambrai/Epinoy Airfields, France in a morning raid as a diversion in support of the VIII Bomber Command heavy bombers over Germany; 36 abort, mainly because of a navigational error; 164 B-26s dispatched against military targets in France during the afternoon are recalled because of bad weather.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Continuing coordinated attacks with the Eighth Air Force on European targets, B-17s with fighter escorts pound Regensburg aircraft factory; enemy fighter opposition is heavy. Other B-17s hit the air depot at Klagenfurt, Austria and the dock area at Pola, Italy. B-24s attack Fiume, Italy marshalling yard and port and hit Zell-am-See, Austria railroad and Graz airfield and the port area at Zara, Yugoslavia; 30+ US aircraft are lost; they claim 90+ fighters shot down.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, P-40s attack guns and troop concentrations E of Campoleone and in the Carroceto area; A-36s bomb the towns of Terracina and Sperlonga and roads in the area; P-40s also maintain patrols over Anzio.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-40s out of Makin Island bomb and strafe targets at Jaluit Atoll; B-25's from Tarawa Atoll and Abemama Island hit Mille and Wotje Atolls; B-24s from Abemama and Tarawa pound Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, P-39s on armed reconnaissance bomb an AA position at Monoitu, hit the Aitara area, and attack a barge in the Cape Gazelle area; 20+ B-25s hit Matupi and Rapopo; 21 B-24s and 17 P-38s follow shortly with another strike on Rapopo.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25's pound Lorengau on Manus Island and the Alexishafen-Madang, New Guinea areas and Momote Airfield on Los Negros Island and A-20s bomb airfields at Alexishafen, New Guinea. HQ 85th Fighter Wing arrives at Gusap, New Guinea from the US.

SUNDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1945

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 B-25s, supported by 5 P-40s, hit sampans and buildings in the Puchi area; 3 B-25s and 19 P-40s pound the Isuho ferry and attack river and road traffic from Siangtan to Hengyang; a single B-25 bombs truck convoys S of Hengyang; 4 B-24s over the Gulf of Tonkin and S China Sea claim damaging hits on 2 vessels; 44 P-51s and P-40s hit bridges, river shipping, troop areas, and motor transport at Kweiyi, Paoching, and Siangtan, from Lingling to Hengyang and Leiyang, from Anjen to Chaling, N of Liuchow, and W of Ishan.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): HQ 40th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) begins a movement from Chakulia India to the Mariana Islands.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, in joint operations with the British and Chinese army forces, 16 P-47s support the British 36 Division in the Mongmit sector while 31 P-47s support the Chinese 38th and 50^th Divisions near Lashio and Namtu, respectively; a low B-25 strike knocks out a suspension bridge at Namsang; 9 B-25s and 85 fighter-bombers blast troop concentrations, supply areas, road traffic, and general targets of opportunity behind enemy lines. 600+ transport sorties are completed to forward areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 437th Troop Carrier Group and the 83d, 84th, 85th and 86th Troop Carrier Squadrons move from Ramsbury, England to Voisins Airfield, Coulommiers, France with C-47s.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.

Mission 847: 1,197 bombers and 755 fighters are dispatched to hit tank factories, airfields associated with jet aircraft, oil depots and rail targets visually; they claim 34-0-21 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 bombers and 8 fighters are lost:

1. 377 B-17s are sent to hit the Maybach tank factory at Friedrichshaffen (63) using Gee-H, and the station and marshalling yard (73) and oil storage tanks and marshalling yard (174) at Munich; 51 hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Ulm; 1 other hit Kenzingen, a target of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 135 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2

WIA and 18 MIA. Escorting are 136 of 149 P-51s; they claim 1-0-2 aircraft on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).

  2. 452 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Munich (315) and Neuburg (88); targets of opportunity are Kaufbeuren (13), Ludwigsfeldt marshalling yard (12), Kempten (1), Durladingen (2), Rortwell (1) and other (5); 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 197 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA and 27 MIA. 140 of 145 P-51s escort and claim 2-0-3 aircraft on the ground.

3. 368 B-24s are sent to hit the marshalling yard (115) and tank factory (54) at Aschaffenburg and the airfields at Giebelstadt (96) and Schwabishch Hall (93); 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 31 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA and 6 WIA. The escort is 126 of 135 P-51s.

4. 262 P-47s and P-51s fly close escort and area patrols claiming 21-0-4 aircraft in the air and 10-0-12 on the ground; 6 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair.

5. 8 P-51s escort 4 F-5s on a photo reconnaissance mission over Germany.

6. 32 of 34 P-51s fly a scouting mission.

Mission 848: 12 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, the 9th Bombardment Division strikes 4 rail bridges, 4 communications centers, a marshalling yard and 9 targets of opportunity as part of the interdiction campaign against Germany; fighters escort the bombers, attack assigned ground targets, fly armed reconnaissance, and support the 8th and 104th Infantry Divisions in the Duren area, the XIII and XlX Corps E of the Roer River, and the VIII, XII, and XX Corps along the Prum and Saar Rivers.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 600+ B-17s and B-24s bomb marshalling yards in Amstetten, 2 in Linz, 2 in Villach, and Salzburg, plus the Linz benzol plant and ordnance depot and several targets of opportunity. Fighters escort and some afterwards strafe targets of opportunity in Austria, SE Germany, and W Czechoslovakia. In Germany, 37

P-51s strafe railroad targets in the Rosenheim-Muhldorf-Landshut-Augsburg areas. Routine reconnaissance and supply missions continue.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 24/25 Feb, A-20s attack marshalling yards at Villafranca di Verona, Cittadella, Castelfranco Veneto, Trento, and Turin, and airfields at Villafranca di Verona and Bergamo; medium bombers cut or damage bridges at Vipiteno, Dogna, Ala, and Campo San Pietro, and a railroad fill at San Felice del Benaco; XXII Tactical Air Command fighters and fighter-bombers are restricted by ground

haze in the Po Valley but attack rail lines, marshalling yards, rolling stock, motor transport, and dumps.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Lieutenant General Millard F Harmon, Commanding General AAFPOA and Deputy Commander of the Twentieth AF, is lost near Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands when his aircraft disappears enroute to Washington DC. (On 2 Mar Major General Willis H Hale, AAFPOA deputy commander for operations, assumes Harmon's positions). 9 Guam Island-based B-24s hit blockhouses, and mortar and rocket-launching

positions on the NW part of Iwo Jima Island; 8 B-24s, flying separate harassment strikes, pound airfields on Chichi Jima during the night of 25/26 Feb. In Hawaii, HQ 508th Fighter Group and the 466th Fighter Squadron move from Kahuku to Mokuleia with P-47s.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 38: 172 of 229 B-29s bomb the urban area of Tokyo; 29 others hit alternates and targets of opportunity; this is the XXI Bomber Command's largest mission to date and its first 3-wing strike against Japan as the the 73d and 313th Bombardment Wings (Very Heavy) are joined by the 314th; 3 B-29s are lost.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In Formosa, B-24s bomb Takao and P-51s hit targets of opportunity along the E coast. On Luzon Island, B-24s attack troop concentrations on the E side of the Ipo River and pound Japanese positions between Ipo and Osboy. B-24s bomb Tawau and Labuan Airfields in Borneo. HQ 49th Fighter Group and the 7th Fighter Squadron move from San Jose, Mindoro Island to Lingayen, Luzon with P-38s.